South Beach Hotel Certified LEED Gold

The Clifton is Art Deco to the hilt. And green, too.

Brian Scheinblum, the head of Cambean Hospitality, views his Clifton South Beach hotel as a magnet for tourists seeking a travel experience based on sustainability. A 35-room boutique structure in the city’s Art Deco district in which Scheinblum invested $2.5 million, the Clifton is the first LEED Gold Hotel in Florida and the first LEED-certified hotel in South Beach. Scheinblum wants to make sustainability sexy. The Clifton is his vehicle—for now.

According to an article in Lodging Hospitality, the Clifton features organic cleaning supplies, LED lighting, energy management systems, water-saving, dual-flush toilets, carpet and fabrics manufactured from recycled products, and high-efficiency faucets.

There are signs South Beach is ready for “green,” like the Clifton—and Decobike, Miami Beach’s bike sharing and recreation program. In addition, the Environmental Coalition of Miami & the Beaches (ECOMB) has been attempting to keep the beaches clean since the non-profit formed in 1994. Scheinblum also cites a slow foods program working with local growers and restaurants.